MHSAA Officials Registration Open
June 17, 2013
The Michigan High School Athletic Association is accepting registrations by mail and online for game officials for the 2013-14 school year and hopes to build on a program started last year and aimed at recruiting new officials from high schools’ current graduating classes.
The MHSAA again has provided each member high school with two complimentary officials registrations to be awarded to graduating seniors designated by their athletic directors as having the skills and interest in continuing their involvement in MHSAA athletics through officiating. For 2012-13, 27 graduates took advantage of this opportunity to register free of charge.
High school seniors selected do not have to pay registration fees for the next school year, and will receive assistance from MHSAA staff in connecting with local officials’ associations and receiving training opportunities. Graduates who registered during the first year of the program came from the following schools: Adrian Lenawee Christian, Carleton Airport, Dearborn, Detroit International Academy, Detroit Aisha Shule-W.E.B. DuBois Prep Academy, Detroit Southwestern, Engadine, Grand Haven, Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse, Imlay City, Ishpeming Westwood, Jonesville, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, Lowell, Mackinaw City, Marquette, Mayville, Negaunee, New Boston Huron, Owendale-Gagetown, Owosso, Oxford, St. Ignace LaSalle and West Branch Ogemaw Heights.
For other new and returning officials, those who register online again will receive a $5 discount off their processing fees. A $12 fee is charged for each sport in which an official wishes to register, and the online processing fee is $30. Officials submitting registration forms by mail or on a walk-up basis will incur a $35 processing fee. Officials registered in 2012-13 will be assessed a late fee of $30 for registration after July 31. The processing fee includes liability insurance coverage up to $1 million for officials while working contests involving MHSAA schools.
Online registration can be accessed by clicking “Officials” on the Home Page of the MHSAA Website. Forms also are available online that can be printed and submitted by traditional mail or hand delivery to the MHSAA Office. More information about officials registration may be obtained by contacting the MHSAA at 1661 Ramblewood Drive, East Lansing, MI, 48823, by phone at (517) 332-5046 or by e-mail at [email protected].
There is an officials' registration test for first-time officials and officials who were not registered during the past school year. The test consists of 45 questions derived from the MHSAA Officials Guidebook, which also is available on the Officials page of the MHSAA Website. Additional 50-question exams must be taken by those registering for football or basketball for the first time or those who were not registered for those sports during the previous school year. Manuals for both sports also are available on the Officials page.
8 Elected to Representative Council
October 18, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Elections were completed recently to fill positions on the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s legislative body, its Representative Council, with five new members joining three others who received re-election to begin service in December.
Bear Lake athletic director Karen Leinaar was re-elected to continue as one of two at-large statewide representatives, while Gobles athletic director Chris Miller will continue to represent Class C and D schools from the southwestern section of the Lower Peninsula and St. Ignace superintendent Don Gustafson was re-elected as one of two junior high/middle school representatives.
They will be joined by five first-time representatives. Marquette athletic director Alex Tiseo was elected to represent Class A and B schools in the Upper Peninsula, and Midland athletic director Eric Albright was elected to represent Class A and B schools from the northern section of the Lower Peninsula. Maple City Glen Lake athletic director Mark Mattson was elected to serve Class C and D schools in the Lower Peninsula northern section, and Ottawa Lake Whiteford athletic director Jason Mensing was elected to represent Class C and D schools in the southeastern section. Jay Alexander, who began as executive director of the Detroit Public School League this fall, will represent the Detroit Public Schools.
All but Albright and Mattson were elected to two-year terms; Albright and Mattson were elected to serve the second year of two-year terms for Council members no longer able to serve. Albright will replace recently-retired Saginaw Heritage athletic director Peter Ryan. Mattson will be finishing the term of Boyne City athletic director Adam Stefanski, who was previously elected to the Class C/D post while athletic director at Mackinaw City, a Class D school, before beginning this fall at Class B Boyne City.
The Representative Council is the 19-member legislative body of the MHSAA. All but five members are elected by member schools. Four members are appointed by the Council to facilitate representation of females and minorities, and the 19th position is occupied by the Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee. The Council meets three times annually, and five members of the Council convene monthly during the school year to form the MHSAA’s Executive Committee, which reviews appeals of Handbook regulations by member schools.
Additional elections took place to select representatives to the Upper Peninsula Athletic Committee. Negaunee principal Andrew Brunette was elected to represent Class A and B schools, and Ishpeming Westwood athletic director Jon Beckman was re-elected to represent Class C schools. Ontonagon superintendent/principal Jim Bobula was elected to represent Class D schools.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.